Ecosystems Review

1. Compare the equations for cellular respiration and photosynthesis, stating the reactants and products of each.

2. Thinking about the process of cellular respiration in your own cells, from where might the reactants be obtained?

3. Where do the products of respiration go?

4. Explain why the processes of photosynthesis and respiration work so well as a team.

5. In what organelles (cell parts) do the processes of cellular respiration and photosynthesis occur?

6. Why do cells need energy?

7. How do cells get energy?

8. How do photosynthetic organisms acquire the glucose they require?

9. How do non-photosynthetic organisms acquire the glucose they require?

10. Why can you see your breath on a cold day?

11. What is ecology?

12. Define each of the levels in biosphere organization.

13. Explain the difference between an ecosystem and a community.

14. What are the two components of an ecosystem?

15. All the bullfrogs in a pond would be described as a
a) population    (b) community    (c) ecosystem    (d) organism    (e) biome

16. Identify each of the following as population, community, ecosystem, or biome:
a) all the corn plants in a cornfield
b) all the living things in a forest
c) the deer in a field
d) the trout in a stream
e) the Canadian prairies
f) the oak trees in a hardwood stand
g) polar bears in the Arctic
h) all the organisms in the Florida everglades

17. Does energy flow or cycle. Explain.

18. Does matter flow or cycle. Explain.

19. Explain the First Law of Thermodynamics.

20. Photosynthetic organisms that can produce their own food are called ___.

21. Organisms that obtain their food from photosynthetic organisms are called ___.

22. Name the three major trophic levels.

23. Photosynthetic organisms would be found in what trophic level of a food web?

24. Why are producers also called autotrophs?

25. How do herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores differ?

26. A skunk eats living grubs and worms. It also eats the fruit of some plants. The skunk would best be described as a(n)
a) omnivore    (b) herbivore    (c) carnivore    (d) scavenger

27. Explain the difference between a food chain and a food web.  Indicate which is considered to be a more accurate representation of nature and state why.

28. What do the arrows mean?

29. Which is the consumer, a plant or a fox?

30. Define predator, prey, top carnivore, and scavenger.

Consider the following simple food chain: algae-->water fleas-->minnows-->trout-->bear

31. Which organism would fit each of the following?
a) producer    (b) secondary consumer    (c) primary consumer    (d) top carnivore    (e) herbivore

32. Why are decomposers an important part of any food web?

33. Energy enters a food web through its producers. T or F.

34. How is energy lost from a food web?

35. According to the First Law of Thermodynamics, the energy contained in the food you eat is changed into other forms of energy.  What are they?

36. What is a pyramid of biomass?

37. Define parasitism, mutualism, and commensalism.

38. Define the three types of systems we discussed and give an example of each.

39. Sun energy is absorbed by the earth and its atmosphere and also drives the ___ cycle.

40. What is meant by the term Earth's heat budget?

41. What can happen to the solar energy reaching the planet?

42. What chemical in the atmosphere protects us from ultraviolet rays?

43. Name and define the 3 components of the biosphere.

44. Distinguish between the Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming.  What is the effect of each on Earth's atmosphere?

45. Describe the role of the atmosphere in making Earth habitable.

46. Where on Earth does most oxygen in the atmosphere come from?

47. The tropical rain forests also play a major role in producing oxygen.  Most of the 1.6 billion hectares of tropical rain forest is found near the equator in Africa, South America and Central America.  In the early nineties, the forest was being destroyed at the rate of 11 million hectares per year.  At this rate, how long will the forests last?